Category: Devotional/Christian Living

Categories
Devotional/Christian Living

The Cold Call: How to Approach a Church or Women’s Group for Speaking Opportunities

Recently in a devotional/Christian living blogger Facebook group, a woman asked how she could find speaking engagements. She has spoken in several places by invitation but wanted to know how to branch out into new places. 

I remember being in her shoes wondering how I could make the transition from speaking to people I knew in real life to entirely new groups of people. Warning: this transition requires cold calling! But you can do it 🙂 It’s not as scary as you think! 

Here are the different kinds of speaking engagement cold calls I have tried so far and how they worked for me. 

In-Person Cold Calls

I created a one-page flyer with my picture and bio and a description of several possible speaking topics. Then I drove around town to hand out my flyer. The librarian was excited, but she wasn’t sure how she could fit in something that religious into her programming. Next, I went to a church and the pastor met me at the door. She and I had a nice conversation and said that she didn’t have a women’s group but they had been thinking about having some kind of event so she would keep me in mind. The next two churches were less receptive. One secretary scowled as she took my flyer and reluctantly said she would put it on the bulletin board. That was not exactly what I was hoping for. Later a friend of mine said she noticed it on the bulletin board so that was good! The last church was similar. Someone met me at the door and I gave them the flyer. She wasn’t interested in chatting. Oh well. 

The in-person cold calling didn’t do well for me, but I should have followed up with the two that seemed somewhat interested. After my book is published next year, I will try again with topics related to my book and give a copy of my book for free if they seem interested. Having a freebie might be more attention getting and give me some clout with a total stranger. 

Email Cold Calls

Since the in-person cold calls didn’t pan out and took up a lot of my precious kids-are-in-school time, I decided to try email cold calls next. 

I typed in “church” on a Google maps search. I looked at the websites of all the churches within an hour drive to see who had a women’s ministry or MOPS group leader listed. Then I emailed the leader with this rough outline:

1. “I know you always need speakers for your group….” 

2. An introduction of who I am including my speaking/writing experience and why I’d be a good fit to speak to their group.

3. A list of possible speaking topics and an offer to make something new. I also provided a link to the full list of my speaking topics on my website. Now that I have a YouTube channel with a playlist of some of my teachings I would also include that as well. 

4. Contact info including social media links for them to check out who I am and what I am passionate about. 

This method worked for me to get speaking engagements for a MOPS group. They were complete strangers to me, but I think an email was effective because the leader had time to check out the links and get a feel for who I am. An in-person cold call puts a leader on the spot. But an email gives the leader time to look everything over during a time that is convenient for her. 

Online Cold Calls

Although not technically a cold call, it’s important to have an online presence with your speaking so that women’s ministry and group leaders can cold call you. I recommend having a page on your website that lists your speaking topics. (Hint: You do not have to have the whole talk prepared before listing it. Just list the idea and if someone is interested, then develop the idea into a full talk.)

I also recommend having a profile on womenspeakers.com. There are different levels of membership. I have the free membership, but it has worked for me to find speaking engagements. I also appreciate the emails I receive from the owner of the website with encouragement and teachings about speaking ministry. 

I also include my upcoming speaking engagements in my weekly email to my subscribers and post on social media when I have an engagement coming up. Although I haven’t gotten any engagements because of this listing (yet), I know that I am getting lots of prayers for the events! I also run into people who say “wow! You’ve been speaking a lot!” The listing helps solidify in people’s minds that I am a speaker. What I imagine will happen in the future is that when someone says to them “I need a speaker for our women’s group” my name will come to mind. 

No matter which cold calling avenue you travel down, make sure to start the journey with prayer. Pray that the Holy Spirit will guide you to the right group of women who need to hear the message God has laid on your heart. 

Has cold calling worked for you to get speaking events? Is there another way you have received speaking engagements? Comment below! 

Rachel Schmoyer is a pastor’s wife who is loving her church life. She writes about the hard parts of Scripture at readthehardparts.com. She has had devotionals published in the past, but now she is looking forward to getting her first Christian Living book published. You can connect with Rachel on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Pinterest.

Categories
Devotional/Christian Living

Spreadsheets: Organizing Wisdom from Author Karen Whiting

I am one of those writers who sits among piles of stuff. That piece of information I need? I know I have it written on a piece of paper…somewhere. When it comes to writing, organizing one small devotion is not hard. Hook, Bible point, application. But now that I am writing devotional books, I’ve been wondering how to organize my writing. How can I be sure that my topics aren’t repetitive? How can I see my writing progress without having to scroll through a long Word document? Where can I jot ideas down so they don’t get lost?

With these questions simmering in the back of my mind, I attended Karen Whiting’s class at Montrose Christian Writer’s Conference in Montrose, PA. Karen Whiting is the award winning author of 26 books including The One Year My Princess Devotions, 52 Weekly Devotions for Families Called to Serve, and The Gift of Bread. Although the title of Karen’s class was Marketing Your Book, she generously shared additional ideas pertaining to organizing all aspects of being a writer. What is her secret?

Spreadsheets.

It sounds like a simple thing, but the idea has changed my writing life. Here’s how Karen uses spreadsheets:

Spreadsheets to Outline a Devotional Book

Rather than a traditional outline, Karen organizes her devotional book writing on a spreadsheet so she can see all the elements of the book at a glance. On her spreadsheet she includes a column for each element in the devotion including the title of each devotion, scripture passage, key verse, quote, and (most importantly) the need of the reader each particular devotion meets. For her upcoming devotional book for moms, she included needs like affirmation, love, and assurance. This way she can make sure that the book as a whole is meeting a range of the spiritual and emotional needs of the reader. She can also see that she does not write towards one need too often while ignoring others. She also uses spreadsheets to outline her parenting, craft, and Christian life books.

Spreadsheets to Organize the Marketing Plan

When I create a marketing plan for a book proposal, I use a bullet point list to brainstorm my marketing ideas. Karen uses a spreadsheet and groups similar marketing together. One section for radio interviews, one for television interviews, one for social media marketing, another for blog post and article ideas. She includes contact information for each radio station or magazine publisher. Then when she is ready to market, she has all the information she needs in one place. She can just go down the spreadsheet like a to-do list and make notes on her progress for each task. When an interview or article is complete, she adds the link on her spreadsheet.

Spreadsheets for the Launch Team

Leading up to the book release, the launch team will read advance copies of the book and generate excitement on social media and other places. Karen said it’s wise to have about 30-40 people on the launch team, but be prepared to see only 20-25% follow through. She uses a spreadsheet to keep track of members of her launch team, their addresses, and ideas for the gifts she will send to them. During the marketing class, Karen offered personalized suggestions to each author in the room by giving ideas for gifts for our launch team members. I was amazed at how creative Karen is on the spot! For my upcoming book Take It to Heart: 30 Days through Revelation, a Devotional Workbook, Karen gave ideas like squishy stress ball hearts and heart shaped candy. Yum! She also encouraged me to create speaking topics about truth since I encourage Christians to find simple truth in Scripture. Such helpful ideas!

I’m so grateful to Karen Whiting for sharing her wisdom with us at Montrose Christian Writer’s Conference. I came home energized and equipped to organize my devotional writing in an effective way.

Do you have any tips for organizing your writing life? Do you use spreadsheets? Comment below!

Rachel Schmoyer is a pastor’s wife who is loving her church life. She writes about the hard parts of Scripture at readthehardparts.com. She has had devotionals published in the past, but now she is looking forward to getting her first Christian Living book published. You can connect with Rachel on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Pinterest.

Categories
Devotional/Christian Living

The Bridge: How to Choose and Write the Bible Point in a Devotion

The Bible point is the bridge between the hook where you began your devotion and the application point at the end of your devotion. The Bible point bridge must be strong and smooth, a natural arc so your reader can implant God’s word into his or her heart.

A short form devotion is usually three paragraphs: the hook, the Bible point, and the application point. Last month I wrote about the first paragraph, the hook. The hook pulls the reader towards the Bible point in the second paragraph.

How does a devotional writer choose and develop the Bible point? Here is how I do it:

Brainstorm all the Bible points. If I am writing for a publication, I am assigned a Bible passage. If I am writing for my own blog or book, then I chose what Bible passages I will be focusing on for my blog series or book. First I start with a prayer that the Holy Spirit will guide me to see the truth in the Bible passage. Then I read and reread the Bible passage writing down all the things that stand out to me about the passage.

I jot down interesting words that I want to look up to see what they mean in the original language. (You can do that here on blueletterbible.org.) I list descriptions of who God is. I notice any commands someone in the passage had to follow, although, be careful here because not all commands given to others in the Bible are for us to follow as well. The same goes for promises. Not all promises given in the Bible are for all people for all time. I also look for emotion words, too, and jot down if the Bible passage or verse reminds me of any other verses or passages. I also read the context around the Bible passage so that I remember who is speaking and in what time period are they speaking.

Let it simmer. Once I have brainstormed all the possible Bible points, then I pray again and set the list away for another day. I want to give the Holy Spirit time to work on my heart and see what particular Bible point He wants me to focus on for the devotion. During this time, I also read a commentary or two to make sure that I have not missed anything or misunderstood any of the Bible passage.

Pick one Bible point to focus on. If you are writing a longer Bible study lesson or a sermon or a longer blog post, you may be able to focus on many points in the Bible passage, but in a short devotion you will only have room for one point. Many short devotions have a word count of between 250-350 words. Plus, your devotion will be more memorable if you focus on one well-developed Bible point.

Explain the Bible point in simple, but descriptive detail. Once you picked out the one Bible point to focus on, then you can write the hook and the Bible point. Writing about the Bible point is not a retelling of the whole Bible passage. It’s a short paragraph pointing out one observation in the passage. You don’t have a lot of words to spare here, but make sure you reserve some words for descriptive detail to paint the picture of the passage in the reader’s mind.

The bible point bridge in devotional writing. Almost an Author.

Try it out! Pick out a Bible passage. Maybe it could be one that you are reading in your own Bible reading right now. List out the possible Bible points, then pick one to write a devotion on. You can submit it to any of these publications and maybe your devotional will be published! Feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions along the way.

Rachel Schmoyer is a pastor’s wife who is loving her church life. She writes about the hard parts of Scripture at readthehardparts.com. She has had devotionals published in the past, but now she is looking forward to getting her first Christian Living book published. You can connect with Rachel on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Pinterest.

Categories
Devotional/Christian Living

Gotcha! How to Write a Compelling Devotional Hook

A short form devotional has three sections: a hook, a Bible passage connection, and a connection to the life of faith.

Here are three things that will make your devotional hook compelling to the readers:

1. Begin with the end in mind.

The hook should get the reader thinking about the connection to the life of faith that you will make at the end of your devotional. Before I write a devotional, I read the Bible passage several times and list out the possible application points that are presented in the passage. I pick out only one of these as the focus. If there is not a clear command to follow in the passage, I look to see what the passage tells us about who God is and how that particular aspect of God’s character impacts our lives. Make sure that the hook pulls the reader towards the one focus point of the passage.

2. Draw from a variety of sources.

Use stories or illustrations from history, science, nature, or personal experience. Know your audience. Are you writing the devotional for women? Men? Both? Older or younger people? Make sure that the hook you share will be relatable to your readers. Take care to make your hook understandable across cultures since many devotional markets have an international audience. If you are writing a group of devotionals, make sure that there is variety in your hooks.

3. Use descriptive language.

If you are writing a devotional for a publication, they will have guidelines for a word count. Most of the time, you will have between 270-400 words. You need to make sure every word counts. Budget some of those words to use descriptive language in the hook. You want your reader to paint a picture in her mind so that her heart is ready to hear God’s truth and to remember it. Use words that convey emotion as well.

how to write a compelling devotional hook

If you are interested in writing devotionals, keep a notebook nearby during your regular Bible reading. When the Holy Spirit bring a truth to your attention and how it relates to your life, jot it down. From these writings you can write a devotional and submit it to one of these seven places that have open submissions.

Rachel Schmoyer is a pastor’s wife who is loving her church life. She writes about the hard parts of Scripture at readthehardparts.com. She has had devotionals published in the past, but now she is looking forward to getting her first Christian Living book published. You can connect with Rachel on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Pinterest.

Categories
Devotional/Christian Living

More than Motivational: 3 Ways to Make Your Writing a Ministry

Christian Living and Devotional writing falls under the umbrella of non-fiction writing. In general, non-fiction writing informs and motivates readers to change something about their lives. Although Christian Living and Devotional writing informs and motivates, it also ministers to the reader’s soul.

To minister means to serve or to give aid to someone. In other words, to help someone out. Christian writers know that the only lasting help for our readers is to point them to Jesus. Our writing is a tool that the Holy Spirit can use to change the lives of our readers.

How can we be sure that our writing is a ministry and not just motivational? Here are three ways:

1. Stay in God’s word. If you are continually reading God’s word, the words that you write will be naturally saturated with Scripture. If you are writing out a devotional idea and then looking for a Scripture to support your idea, you are working backwards. The most effective Christian Living and devotional writing flows out of your Scripture reading and study. Make daily Bible reading a habit. Read the whole Bible, not just your favorite parts or the parts that are already familiar to you.

2. Pray for your readers. Prayer is the acknowledgement that it is the Holy Spirit who is at work in your readers, not just your words. Vicar Peter Adam was interviewed about how not to be boring on Nancy Guthrie’s podcast Help Me Teach the Bible. Peter Adam said that in his preparation time for speaking somewhere he spends half his time studying and the other half of the time praying for those who will hear the message. I think we can do the same thing with our writing. Take some of your writing time to pray for your readers that the Holy Spirit would change their lives to make them become more like Christ and that He would meet their needs. This is different than praying for yourself as a writer. Pray for your readers that their spiritual needs would be met however the Holy Spirit sees fit to do that.

3. Connect with the larger body of Christ. Most of our studying and writing takes place alone in our homes away from others. It is very easy in this situation to stray from an orthodox understanding of God’s word. We also can face writer’s block as a devotional or Christian Living author, not sure what to say about a particular passage. To make sure we are accurately handling God’s word, stay connected to the larger body of Christ. Attend church regularly. Ask your pastor or church leaders about a Bible passage when you get stuck. You may even want your pastor and elders to approve your writing and check it for doctrinal accuracy. I have heard that some Christian songwriters like Michael Card do this with their song lyrics.  

make your writing a ministry

The best Christian Living and Devotional writing acknowledges that Jesus is the One that changes the reader’s life. When we stay in Scripture, pray for our readers, and connect with the larger body of Christ, our writing can be a ministry and not just motivational.

Rachel Schmoyer is a pastor’s wife who is loving her church life. She writes about the hard parts of Scripture at readthehardparts.com. She has had devotionals published in the past, but now she is looking forward to getting her first Christian Living book published. You can connect with Rachel on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Pinterest.

Categories
Devotional/Christian Living

5 Ways to Make Social Media Less Frustrating

If you are going to be a Christian Living or Devotional author, then you are going to need a platform. And if you are going to build a platform, you are going to need social media. But social media can be so frustrating! You pour hours into it while your writing gathers dust. You craft clever posts with beautiful pictures and no one seems to notice. You feel confused or overwhelmed about all the little details of each platform. You feel like throwing in the towel. I know because I have gone through periods of frustration when I was getting started with social media as a writer.

These five thoughts have helped me push through frustration so that social media is now enjoyable and profitable to me.

#1 Don’t wait for perfect. Just try something.

When I was first posting on Instagram, I was enjoying getting to know the followers I had by posting first thing in the morning after my kids went to school. Then I read an article that said the best time to post was 3:00 in the afternoon. So then I held off on posting first thing in the morning until I could hit that perfect time of 3:00 in the afternoon. Except that 3:00 pm wasn’t a good time for me. Days went by and I wasn’t posting at all. I started to feel disappointed in myself rather than enjoying Instagram like back when I was in blissful ignorance about the perfect posting time. So then I just shook that “perfect” time out of my head and went back to posting when it worked for me. It was better for me to just try posting instead of waiting for what others deemed as perfect.

#2 Focus on one platform at a time.

Although I am always at least a little bit active on each social media platform, I pick one at a time to focus most of my energy on. At the moment, I am focusing on Pinterest since that is getting me more blog readers and email list sign-ups than any other platform. For a while I tried to have goals for myself on every platform at the same time, but, realistically, I did not have time to focus on all of the platforms at the same time. That just led to frustration, so now I focus on one platform at a time. I give myself the freedom to change my focus through different seasons of life.

#3 Post genuine questions and real-life updates.

If all you ever post is “buy my book” or “read my blog” you are missing out on the joy of getting to know all the wonderful people who follow you on social media. Social media is primarily for being social. So ask questions, give encouragement, and start conversations. This will make your social media time more fulfilling and less frustrating.

#4 Use a timer.

Even when your social media time is fulfilling, it should not be a total time suck. There is more to life than social media. Set a timer and when it goes off, put it down for the day. Take a walk. Enjoy your family. Read your Bible.

#5 Use a scheduler.

A scheduler can help you save time when using social media. A scheduler is a place where you can plan out what you are going to post on a particular day at a particular time and then the scheduler will automatically post it for you. I like to schedule my posts out on Monday, then I can sit back and focus on interacting with my followers during the week. I like to use Buffer because of its simplicity (and it’s free!) Hootsuite is another popular free scheduler.

social media less frustrating

Social media doesn’t have to be frustrating for a writer. Take it one step at a time and keep it joyful. Explore new elements with curiosity and wonder.

If you are looking for a guide and a support as you explore social media, I highly recommend Victoria Duerstock’s Social Media Squad. She has taken a lot of time to study what works and what doesn’t on every platform and loves to share what she knows. Her guidance has been a huge help to me!

Rachel Schmoyer is a pastor’s wife who is loving her church life. She writes about the hard parts of Scripture at readthehardparts.com. She has had devotionals published in the past, but now she is looking forward to getting her first Christian Living book published. You can connect with Rachel on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Pinterest.

Categories
Devotional/Christian Living

5 SMART Goals for Christian Living and Devotional Writers

I started out 2019 with one goal: to get a Christian Living or devotional book contract. That didn’t happen. A lot of other wonderful things happened like a lot of speaking engagements and getting meaningful reader feedback from strangers and growing my email list from 240 people to 890 people. But because I did not meet my one goal I felt defeated and discouraged. I started to see myself as a failure as a writer.

Then I remembered a blog post I had written for a copywriting client about SMART goals. I realized that I was not a failure as a Christian living or devotional writer, but the goal I had set was not a SMART goal.

A SMART goal is a goal that is:

Specific

The goal needs to be specific enough that you know when it is complete. To “get better” at something or “do well” at something is not specific enough. My “get a book contract” goal was actually not specific enough. There are so many small steps between the thought of a book and getting a contract. I should have broken up this larger goal into smaller, specific pieces.

Measureable

You need numbers attached to your SMART goals such as submitting three book proposals or sending out one query letter a month.  These numbers also need to be entirely in your control. “Getting one book contract” is not totally in my control. There are agents and editors and publishers that factor into that goal. Instead, I should have focused my goal on submissions and manuscripts and book outlines and drafts as opposed to the book contract itself.

Attainable

Your goals need to be realistic. “Publish ten books this year” is not realistic for most writers. At the same time, the goals need to be challenging enough to spur you on. If you already write two blog posts a month, don’t make that the goal. It’s not challenging.

Relevant

Make sure your goals will actually lead to your overall life goals as a writer. For me at this point, I need to concentrate on submitting articles for websites and publications with larger audiences. In the past, I have guest blogged for smaller blogs which I appreciated doing, but I need to focus on articles now in order to achieve my overall goal of growing my platform and getting my book published.  

Time-bound

If there is no due date for the goal, it’s not happening.

With the SMART goal parameters in mind, and lots of prayer, here are my five realistic goals to start out the New Year:

1. Create and share Pinnable images for all my old blog posts. This goal is important to me because other than Google, Pinterest is my biggest traffic source for my blog, Read the Hard Parts. Pinterest is also where I am getting most of my 50-100 new email subscribers. Along with this goal, I also want to schedule ten pins a day on Tailwind, manually pin once a day, and create one Read the Hard Parts freebie per quarter. These goals should help me reach my overall Pinterest goal of one million Pinterest views per month. At this moment I have 232k views per month. But one million views cannot be my SMART goal because Pinterest could change their algorithm at any time and that is out of my control. But these other goals about sharing and Pinterest images are in my control and will over time contribute to my overall goal.

2. Submit one article a month to a large website or publication. First I need to gather a list of places to pitch my articles, places like The Gospel Coalition, Desiring God, For the Church, incourage.me, and Leading Hearts Magazine. Notice my goal is to submit an article and not get it published. That is in the Lord’s hands.

3. Create a blog post once a month. For the last two years I have been blogging about once a week. Now I have almost one hundred posts on my site. So that I have time to submit articles, focus on Pinterest, and try to write a book, I need to cut back here.

4. Self-publish a short Bible study book by the end of January. Although my goal is traditional publishing, I’m getting back logged with ideas for books that have not found a match in traditional publishing. I wasn’t sure what to do about this until I heard novelist Shawn Smucker speak on a panel at Lancaster Christian Writers. He self-published until he was noticed by a traditional publisher. He said, “Sometimes self-publishing is the right move so that you are not stuck and you can keep moving.” That is exactly what I needed to hear. I was stuck with my half-finished ideas and at this point self-publishing a Bible study book will keep me moving. This goal comes with a myriad of smaller steps and goals like a rough draft by December 1, finish self-edits by December 15th, and then meeting with an author friend in January to learn how to format the book properly with a well-designed cover.

5. Send in my next book proposal to my agent by January 15. A new book idea has been unfolding and it has been a pleasure to see it blossoming. I want to have a deadline for this book proposal so I will get it done!

Will I get traditionally published in 2020? I don’t know. That is not in my control, ultimately. But these five SMART goals can help me get there, Lord willing.

What are your SMART goals for the New Year? Let me know in the comments!

Rachel Schmoyer is a pastor’s wife who is loving her church life. She writes about the hard parts of Scripture at readthehardparts.com. She has had devotionals published in the past, but now she is looking forward to getting her first Christian Living book published. You can connect with Rachel on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Pinterest.

Categories
Copywrite/Advertising Devotional/Christian Living

Step Out in Front of the Crowd: How to Add Speaking to Your Writing Life

As a devotional or Christian living writer you have a burden to share the message God has laid on your heart. Your blog, books, and articles can help you reach your audience. So can speaking.

My Read the Hard Parts blog started because I want to encourage women to dig into the hard parts of Scripture, the ones we usually skip like Revelation or Ezekiel. Although I have taught children at our church for my whole adult life I never thought about speaking to adults until I had to give an announcement about social media to two hundred men at our denomination’s pastors conference. After this short announcement I got a lot of feedback about how well spoken I was. I was surprised! Then on the drive home I felt the Holy Spirit say to me “it is time to speak.”

Shortly after that experience, I learned what I could about how a writer can find opportunities to speak. And now I have spoken to almost a dozen ladies groups.

Here are some tips that worked for me for starting out as a speaker:

Develop a couple of topics

Have about three talk topics that are related to your writing. Since I write about the hard parts of Scripture, I started out with a talk on Revelation, one on Proverbs, and then one on how to read and understand the hard parts. I came up with a talk title and a short paragraph of explanation for each topic. I did not develop all the details of the content of my talks until I had a group request that topic in particular. I also decided that I would be willing to create a new talk that would fit the needs of any group that requested one on a particular topic. If I develop a new talk for a group then I can offer that talk to others.

Start Local

Next I created a flyer with my contact information and the topics of my talks. I visited local churches in the area and the libraries. I was nervous every time I did one of these cold calls, but I prayed each time that God would guide me and direct me where He wanted me to go. I also contacted churches in my denomination and let them know I would be available to speak at any event they may be having. I also asked to teach in my own local church and we created a women’s Sunday School class so we could study Revelation together.

Online Presence

In addition to handing out my flyer, I also added a speaking tab to my website with the talk descriptions. I would also highly recommend creating a free profile on womenspeakers.com. There is a location based search on this site so this is especially a good way for nearby churches and Christian groups to find a speaker who they don’t need to fly in from out of state.

Use Video

When I started to get some requests for more information about my speaking, I was often asked for a video clip of my speaking. At first I didn’t have any, so I improvised by sharing my Instagram TV videos and Facebook live videos and even some audio of myself as a guest on a friend’s podcast. Once I got a speaking engagement lined up, I invited a friend along to take pictures and videos to use as examples for future requests. You don’t need to video the whole presentation. Just a clip will do. The organizers just need to know that you are confident as a speaker and pleasant to listen to.

Build Some Excitement

Once you have a speaking engagement lined up, post pictures of your preparation. Share pictures on social media of your travels to the engagement.  Share pictures from your actual engagement. Hopefully some others in the crowd will share, too. All these social media postings will help build excitement around your speaking and will pique other’s interest as well. Take along some freebies and a sign-up sheet for your email list so that those who hear you speak can have opportunity to connect with your writing, too.

Writing life can be isolating. Speaking gives me the opportunity to connect with my audience in person. At my speaking engagements I listen to the questions the ladies have about the hard parts of Scripture so I can address them in my future writing and speaking. Plus I love the “a-ha” look on their faces when they understand a part of Scripture in a new way. Speaking reminds me why I am writing to begin with—to help women find simple truths in hard parts of Scripture.

Rachel Schmoyer is a pastor’s wife who is loving her church life. She writes about the hard parts of Scripture at readthehardparts.com. She has had devotionals published in the past, but now she is looking forward to getting her first Christian Living book published. You can connect with Rachel on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Pinterest.

Categories
Devotional/Christian Living

How to Write Christmas Devotionals All Year Long

I don’t normally get into the Christmas spirit until after Thanksgiving, but as a Christian Living or Devotional author, if you want to publish a book or article with a Christmas theme, you need to write about it long before December 25.

When Victoria Duerstock began writing her Christmas devotional book, Heart & Home for Christmas: Celebrating Joy in Your Living Space, it was the fall so she brought out the Christmas music, peppermint, and hot chocolate a little early that year. Writing through Christmas time was inspiring, but it was harder to stay in the Christmas spirit during the post-Christmas-time editing and rewriting.

Author and blogger Jean Wise from Healthy Spirituality got the ideas for her Christmas devotional, Let Every Heart Prepare Him Room, during the Advent season. Then when Advent was finished, the writing work began.

“I know having first collected my thoughts during the season did help,” said Jean Wise. After Christmas, she continued to listen to Christmas music and lit an evergreen scented candle to help her stay in the Advent mindset. 

Kristin Dobrowolski, author and illustrator of Jesus’ Unexpected Family Tree: Anticipating Jesus’ Birthday, had a different take on writing about Christmas. After looking for a simpler version of the Jesse Tree countdown to Christmas, she couldn’t find what she was looking for so she decided to create something herself. A year later she tested her ideas on her own family. Then she and her co-author tweaked and rewrote and designed a test version which she sent to 100 people so they could test it and try it. From that feedback, they redesigned and edited and then released the official book on Amazon last Christmas.

When I asked her how she stayed in a Christmas mood constantly for many years, she said something surprising:

“When you spend years thinking about something, it changes your perspective. It wasn’t about Christmas after a while, it was about the timeline of God’s story and all the people pointing to the arrival of His Son. Those stories of Jesus’ family are something we hear all throughout the year, so thinking about Him was natural. And Christmas is really just the birthday party.”

Blogger Jennifer Love capitalizes on the focus of Jesus’ birthday party by working on her Christmas themed posts between October and December each year. Having these fresh articles ready on her blog, Intentional Traditions, brings a lot of readers at the exact right time they are preparing for Christmas for their own homes.

Keeping Christmas themed devotional writing fresh can be a challenge. When I was preparing to write a short Christmas devotional, I wanted to look at a part of the Bible that is not talked about often. I wanted to challenge Christians to Read the Hard Parts of Scripture since that is the focus of my writing and speaking ministry. Through prayer and Bible study, I discovered that the Bible book of Malachi has a lot of themes that applied to Christmas time. At the end of November, I set aside a large chunk of time to write The Finishing Touches: Preparing for Christmas with the Book of Malachi.  I shared it with my email list during Advent, then published it as a Kindle book after Christmas so it was ready to share with readers the following Christmas.

Have you written any Christmas themed devotionals or Christian Living books or articles? How did you keep in the Christmas spirit while you were writing? Comment below!

Rachel Schmoyer is a pastor’s wife who is loving her church life. She writes about the hard parts of Scripture at readthehardparts.com. She has had devotionals published in the past, but now she is looking forward to getting her first Christian Living book published. You can connect with Rachel on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Pinterest.

Categories
Devotional/Christian Living

9 Hot Topics to Write About in 2019 for Christian Living and Devotional Writers

The first book proposal I wanted to send out to publishers was on the book of Revelation. My agent warned me that no one would be interested in a book about Revelation in today’s market, but she tried for me anyway. She was right. No one is interested in Revelation at the moment. I may self-publish my book at some point, but since my desire is to be traditionally published, I needed to find out what publishers are looking for right now.

In other words, what are the hot topics to write about in 2019 for Christian Living and devotional writers?

I asked around and searched the best sellers and new releases list and came up with these 9 topics:

Hospitality

This is not a Martha Stewart manual on how to have your house ready for guests. Hospitality is an everyday, ordinary life thing.  Recent books about hospitality encourage readers to invite others in even though their home or life isn’t perfect. Last year, Rosaria Butterfield’s book The Gospel Comes with a House Key was published by Crossway Books.

Digital Discipleship/Being a Christian on Social Media

Other topics on this list have been written about for generations. Social media and digital life is still relatively new in Christiandom, so there is a need for books on the topic. Just a few weeks ago, Chris Stedman signed with Fortress Press the rights to his book IRL: Searching for Meaning, Belonging, and Realness in Our Digital Lives.

Church

Church attendance is dropping all across America. I don’t say this to alarm you, because we know that God is building His kingdom and He will prevail, but lots of people are thinking about church and what it is supposed to be and how we relate to it since we do not live in a country where church attendance is a given. There are many upcoming books on the topic of church including Traci Rhoades’ book Not All Who Wander (Spiritually) Are Lost which will be published next year.

Gender and Sexuality Issues

This is a hot topic, but if you are going to write here, just with any topic, make sure that you don’t just have an ax to grind, but that you have some personal investment or reason why your point of view, experience, or expertise adds to the conversation. Dr. Juli Slattery recently wrote Rethinking Sexulaity: God’s Design and Why It Matters. You don’t need a psychology degree to write on the topic of sexuality. Sheila Gregorie started her blog To Love, Honor, and Vaccuum to write about marriage and ended up honing in on sexual issues in marriage. Along with her blogging and speaking, she has written several books about sex in marriage and is still writing more.

Decision Making

The Next Right Thing: A Simple, Soulful Practice for Making Life Decisions by Emily P. Freeman was released this year following over a year’s worth of her Next Right Thing podcast episodes. If you haven’t read this book yet, you are missing out. Emily’s thoughtful writing style is part informative and part reflective. It’s just the right balance to get me thinking about my decisions and how I make them. I also noticed that instead of 12-14 chapters of 3,500-4,000 words, her book contained 24 shorter chapters. As a reader, I loved this format and it’s getting me thinking about the format of some of my future book ideas. 

Family and Parenting

This is a perennial topic and there are lots of books on the market on this topic. Make your unique voice and point of view clear so you can stand out. Risen Motherhood by Emily Jensen and Laura Wifler releases soon. They host the popular Risen Motherhood podcast so they have already proven woman want to hear what they have to say.

Slowing Down/Waiting

This topic has been around for awhile, but is not exhausted. Present Over Perfect: Leaving Behind Frantic for a Simpler, More Soulful Way of Living by Shauna Niequist was written in 2016, but remains a popular favorite book with over one thousand reviews on Amazon. Just You Wait by Tricia Lott Williford was recently released by NavPress. It’s a book about the discipline of waiting. Also, fellow blogger Patty Scott released a devotional this year called Slow Down, Mama: Thirty-One Days to Help You Slow and Savor.

Homemaking

We don’t hear the term homemaker very often. It’s old fashioned. But the truth is that women still spend time and energy creating, planning, and caring for their home and it’s still something they want to read about. The trick is finding something new to write about in this space. Several authors have done just that. Christie Purifoy wrote the Christian Living book Placemaker: Cultivating Places of Comfort, Beauty, and Peace. Placemaker is about her reflections about her process of restoring her historic home. Victoria Duerstock wrote Heart & Home: Design Basics for Your Soul and Living Space which marries truths from the Bible and design tips into a beautiful devotional.

Millennials

Everyone’s favorite generation to pick on has now had years of experience as full-fledged adults. Now they are writing about their faith experience and their views on Christian culture. Here is a recent  list of books about millennials and their faith. 

Hopefully this list sparked an idea in your soul about what to write for publication. But most of all, whatever idea you receive and however you receive it, I encourage you to pray first before writing. God the Father has created you with your unique experience and voice with a message to share to encourage and challenge others. If He has put it on your heart to write, seek Him first for guidance and direction.

Have you noticed any other current trends in Christian Living or Devotional publishing? Comment below!

Rachel Schmoyer is a pastor’s wife who is loving her church life. She writes about the hard parts of Scripture at readthehardparts.com. She has had devotionals published in the past, but now she is looking forward to getting her first Christian Living book published. You can connect with Rachel on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Pinterest.

Categories
Devotional/Christian Living

Writing Wisdom from Christian Living and Devotional Author Sarah Geringer

I recently interviewed Christian Living and devotional author Sarah Geringer. I hope you gain as much writing wisdom from her as I have!

How did you get started as a devotional or Christian Living writer?

I began blogging in 2010 with reflections on my One Year Bible readings. My blogging stopped and started for several years. In 2015, I began blogging daily for Lent, and resumed a regular rhythm of writing posts for spiritual growth. I now write weekly exclusive devotions for my email subscribers in addition to blog posts. I also regularly guest post at A Wife Like Me, Devotable, and Woman 2 Woman Ministries. Every quarter, my devotions are published in Hope-Full Living, a devotional for seniors.

Do you research for your writing? What are some of your favorite resources?

I use my personal library of over 10 Bibles and hundreds of Christian non-fiction books. I also rely on biblegateway.com to research different translations when I’m pressed for time. Mostly, my inspiration comes from my quiet times alone with God in prayer and Scripture reading.

How did you get connected with your agent or editor?

Years ago, the (in)courage website had Facebook discussion groups. Michelle S. Lazurek was my group leader. At the She Speaks Conference in July 2017, Michelle walked up and introduced herself to me. We were both at the conference to pitch our book ideas. That fall, I saw on Facebook that Michelle signed as an agent. In January 2018, someone posted in the She Speaks 2017 Facebook group, asking if anyone had heard back from their publisher meetings. I posted that I was in contact with an agent who had not given a final answer. Michelle read my post and private messaged me, asking to look at my book proposal. I signed with her in March 2018, and she got me my first book contract in May 2018. God used Facebook and She Speaks to connect us. If you want to connect with an agent, I recommend attending a writers’ conference. It is an excellent way to connect with people in the industry. Read more about my experience at the She Speaks Conference here.

What do you do to stay connected with your readers?

My email subscriber list is my top priority. I try to offer them exclusive, high quality content every week to help them in their Christian faith. Pinterest is the biggest driver of traffic to my blog, and I spend several hours per week managing my feed there. I also provide content almost every day on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Goodreads and LinkedIn to reach various members of my tribe. I spend about 20 hours per week managing my social media accounts. It’s a large time commitment, but I truly enjoy engaging with my readers on each of these platforms. However, I normally take Sundays off because a Sabbath rest refreshes and recharges me.

How do you make writing a priority in the midst of your busy life?

Recently I shared a post on Instagram, telling how I apply Dave Ramsey’s financial advice to my writing life. He tells his followers to “pay yourself first,” because no one else will do it for you. Years ago, I realized that my writing wouldn’t happen unless I made it a high priority. I decided to pay myself first in writing, even though many other responsibilities called my name as a wife and mother. In 2015 I began getting up at 4:00 a.m. to write for a couple hours before going to my day job. This habit resulted in hundreds of blog posts, three self-published books, and a traditionally published book releasing in Oct. 2019. Even before I started that habit, I wrote in the afternoons while my children were napping. If you want to write for a living, you must make a daily no-break appointment with yourself. As you keep planting seeds, you will reap a harvest in due time. You may be interested in my course, Best Tips for Christian Writers. In it, I explain how I started out as a blogger, self-published three books, and work to build my platform as a traditionally published author.

Sarah Geringer is an author, freelance writer, blogger and artist. Her book Transforming Your Thought Life: Christian Meditation in Focus will be released by Leafwood Publishers in October 2019. Sarah also volunteers as a proofreader for Proverbs 31 Ministries’ Encouragement for Today devotions. Her books include Newness of Life: Trusting God in Times of Transition, The Fruitful Life: A Unique Look at the Fruits of the Spirit, and Christmas Peace for Busy Moms: 25 Days of Quick Devotions to Calm Your Stress. She lives in southeast Missouri with her husband and three children. You can follow Sarah as she writes about Finding Peace in God’s Word at sarahgeringer.com.

Rachel Schmoyer is a pastor’s wife who is loving her church life. She writes about the hard parts of Scripture at readthehardparts.com. She has had devotionals published in the past, but now she is looking forward to getting her first Christian Living book published. You can connect with Rachel on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Pinterest.

Categories
Devotional/Christian Living

The Best Bible Study Method for Christian Living and Devotional Writers

Sometimes Christian Living and devotional writers study a Bible passage and the application jumps off the page. Other times we read the passage once…twice…three times and nothing is coming to us. That’s when we need the Inductive Bible Study Method.

Although there are other Bible study methods out there, the Inductive Bible Study method is the most thorough and in depth yet still allows the individual to listen to the Holy Spirit and what He is guiding you to notice in the passage. This method was made popular by professor and author Howard Hendriks in his book Living By the Book and by author and speaker Kay Arthur through her Precept Ministries.

Melissa Deming, author of Sweeter than Honey: Cultivating an Appetite for the Word of God, teaches the Inductive Study Method to women so they know how to feast on God’s Word for themselves. She says, “Like a hands-on cooking lesson, the inductive study method outlines the basic principles for Scriptural meal prep. And because the method grows as the disciple grows, the student’s confidence grows in accordance with his or her skill. This method also gives the student a safeguard to treat the Word with its due honor and respect, allowing the text to speak for itself. When a student spends time carefully observing the facts an author included in a text, he or she will be less likely to interpret a passage apart from its context, or ultimately, to make poor or shallow applications. I guess you could say that the inductive study method is like a spiritual oven mitt, keeping us from burning ourselves and safeguarding our handling of biblical doctrine.”

There are three steps to the Inductive Study Method.

Step #1 Observation

In this step we discover what the text actually says. This may sound overly simple, but when the Bible passage is very familiar, we may overlook some details that might lead us to notice something new. In this observation step we look for key words and themes. Kay Arthur recommends using colored pencils throughout a book of the Bible to mark repeated words so the themes stand out to you more easily.

In this step we answer basic questions like:

  • Who is speaking (or writing) the passage?
  • Who is the author writing to?
  • What is happening in the passage?
  • Where is this taking place?
  • When is this passage taking place?
  • How does the writer feel?
  • What literary genre is this passage?

Write all of this information down on a notebook. If you are working with a short passage, you may even want to rephrase it in your own words.

This step may require a little digging into the Bible passages around the one we are studying in order to find some context.

Step #2 Interpretation

Once you have found out what the passage says, the next step is to find out what the passage means. Put yourself in the shoes of the original audience first. It’s important to understand that before we try to apply the passage for today.

Once we have discovered what we think is the meaning of the passage, then it’s time to check with others to see if our interpretation matches what other Biblical scholars have discovered. I like to look in commentaries like the NIV Application Commentary Series or the Matthew Henry Commentary which is available online. The website preceptaustin.org has a lot of free resources. Check with your pastor or other Bible educated friend to find out what they know about the meaning of the passage. This step will help you avoid a misguided application.

Step #3 Application

Once you know what the passage says and what it means, then you can figure out what to do with the passage for life today. This is the step devotional and Christian living writers get excited about! Here we can use the God-given gift of words to explain the application to our readers, to compel them to see God’s truth and act upon it. 

Howard Hendricks suggests these nine application questions. You will not answer all of them in every passage.

  • Is there an example for me to follow?
  • Is there a sin to avoid?
  • Is there a promise to claim?
  • Is there a prayer to repeat?
  • Is there a command to obey?
  • Is there a condition to meet?
  • Is there a verse to memorize?
  • Is there an error to mark?
  • Is there a challenge to face?

What if the method doesn’t work for your writing?

There have been several times I was assigned a particular passage for devotional writing and even with using the Inductive Study Method, it was difficult to find an application for the readers. Since I was assigned the passage, I was not free to use a different portion of Scripture. In those instances, I focused on what characteristic of God was on display in the passage. From that characteristic of God, I was able to make application to our lives of how that aspect of God’s character makes a difference for us.

Those tough devotional assignments drove me to my knees in prayer wondering what God would have me write about for those who would eventually read it. No matter whether the passage is easy or hard, prayer is always the first step so that we can be tuned in to what the Holy Spirit is teaching from the passage.

More Tools to Help

If you are looking for a tool to help you with the Inductive bible Study, I highly recommend Melissa Dimming’s Heart and Hive Guided Bible study journal which already has three steps clearly marked out for you including the questions to ponder during the observation, interpretation, and application steps. She even has guided Bible study journals for kids which my kids love!

The Navigators also has some helpful questions to ask for use in Inductive Bible Study and so does Crossway.

The Inductive Bible Study method will help writers treat God’s word with care and accuracy so that His truth will shine through in your writing.

Rachel Schmoyer is a pastor’s wife who is loving her church life. She writes about the hard parts of Scripture at readthehardparts.com. She has had devotionals published in the past, but now she is looking forward to getting her first Christian Living book published. You can connect with Rachel on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Pinterest.

Categories
Devotional/Christian Living

Build Your Writer’s Platform and Get Publishing Credits: 7 Ways to Break into the Devotional Market

If you have an idea for a Christian Living or devotional book, but need to build a platform and get publishing credits, there are plenty of opportunities to see your name in print.

Check out these seven devotional publications with open submissions—no previous writing experience necessary!

1. The Secret Place is a quarterly devotional magazine with a worldwide readership of more than 250,000 and editions in regular print, large print and Braille. The Secret Place is published by Judson Press, American Baptist Home Mission Societies, but you do not need to Baptist to submit a devotional. Find the writer’s guidelines here. Here is Judson Press’ website with samples. If your devotional is selected, you will be paid $20. 

2. The Upper Room is a popular daily devotional published by the United Methodist church, but you do not need to be Methodist to submit a devotional. The writer’s guidelines are here and the online submission form is here. Notice that there are general themes they are looking for each month of the year. Payment is $30 on publication. Upper Room Publications also includes DevoZine for teens and Pockets for Kids.

3. Christian Devotions is a devotional website that does not pay, but has a large online reach. Michelle Medlock Adams, award winning devotional writer and co-author of the upcoming devotional book They Call Me Mom: 52 Encouraging Devotions for Every Moment, recommends submitting to Christian Devotions because it is very welcoming to new writers. You can find the submission guidelines here.

4. CBN.com, home of the 700 Club, has an online devotional. Michelle Medlock Adams also mentioned that Beth Patch, acquisions editor for the online devotional section, is open to new writers as well. Devotionals must be story-oriented, include two Scriptures references, and be between 450-600 words. Submissions should be sent to beth.patch@cbn.org. Subscribe to and study the devotions from CBN.com first so you can match you devotional writing in style and tone.

5. Refresh Bible Study Magazine is an online publication from Lighthouse Bible Studies. Katy Kauffman, co-founder of Lighthouse Bible Studies and editor of Refresh, is especially looking for Bible study articles, but she also said, “If we receive enough devotions this year, we will make a special edition.” Check out the online samples here and the submissions guidelines here.

6. Devotableapp is another suggestion for submitting devotions. The devotions are shared through email, social media, and through the Devotable mobile app. Katy Kauffman recommends this as a place that is accepting new writers. You can find the contributors guidelines here. Although their readership reach is small, there is an added bonus. On every devotion that is published, backlinks to your website, blog, or social media will be published which helps grow your platform numbers!

7. Thoughts-about-God.com is another online devotional site with a large reach—450,000 readers each month. They also accept short Christian Living articles and poetry. Thoughts-about-God gives you space for a bio with backlinks. You can find their submissions guidelines here.

8. Keys for Kids Ministries publishes a daily devotional for kids. Keys for Kids has both an online and print edition. Read the writer’s guidelines here. Payment is $30 per devotional published.

9. In(courage).me is an online devotional ministry for women from DaySpring. This site does not offer payment, but has a large reach. Guest post submissions are only open certain times during the year, so bookmark the submissions guidelines and have your post ready when the time window is open.

Do you know of any other places a new writer can submit devotionals? If so, let us know in the comments below! 

Rachel Schmoyer is a pastor’s wife who is loving her church life. She writes about the hard parts of Scripture at readthehardparts.com. She has had devotionals published in the past, but now she is looking forward to getting her first Christian Living book published. You can connect with Rachel on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Pinterest.

Categories
Devotional/Christian Living

Rachel Hollis and the Dangers of Writing Christian Living Books

In 2018, Rachel Hollis, motivational speaker, popular podcast host, and entrepreneur, released her bestselling book, Girl, Wash Your Face: Stop Believing the Lies about Who You Are so You Can Become Who You Were Meant to Be. The book was (and still is) wildly popular and widely scrutinized by the Christian media such as The Gospel Coalition, Tim Challies, and Sheologians.

Just last week, in March of 2019, Rachel Hollis released a new book, Girl, Stop Apologizing: A Shame-Free Plan for Embracing and Achieving Your Goals, and a whole new round of criticism has begun.

Although her books are labeled as the Christian Living genre, the content is apparently far removed from a Christian worldview.

She allegedly encourages the reader to depend on herself and her own strength rather than the Lord and His strength. In addition, there seems to be an expectation that life is to be happy and fulfilling according to a woman’s own definition of happiness. What’s missing in her books is that Christ told us to expect suffering (John 16:33) and to live serving others rather than ourselves (Galatians 5:13).

Since I have not read Rachel Hollis’ books, I am not comfortable weighing in on whether or not her books belong in the Christian Living genre or not.

But what I am sure of is that Christian Living and devotional writers have a huge responsibility to portray the Christian worldview accurately. If you decide to write in these genres, your work will be under scrutiny.

Although I am still working towards publishing my first book, I have faced some small-scale scrutiny from readers of my Read the Hard Parts of Scripture blog. One man did not like when I wrote that God doesn’t condone polygamy. Others did not like when I pointed out that your favorite Bible verse may be taken out of context.

It is an enormous responsibility to both meet your reader’s needs and accurately portray God’s truth. Neither can be compromised or left out of your writing process.

 If you write about God’s truth, but do nothing to address how His truth meets reader’s needs, no one will read your writing. If you write to fulfill your reader’s needs, but don’t offer God’s truth, are you really meeting their needs?

What can steps can you take in your writing process to be sure you are accurately presenting the Christian worldview and meeting your readers’ needs?

Pray before you write. Ask the Lord to guide your writing and help your heart to listen to the Holy Spirit’s leading. This is a daily occurrence. Also, prayer in God’s presence is the cure for writer’s block.

Use Scripture wisely. If you are adding Scripture to your writing, study the passage carefully so you are handling God’s word accurately. Don’t just randomly pull out a verse. Look at the context.

Read the Bible on your own. Starting your day in God’s word refreshes your mindset so that you are thinking from God’s point of view in whatever comes up in your life that day—including your writing.

Listen to your readers. Ask them questions about what they are struggling with. This is where social media is key. You have instant access to your readers. Find out what problems they have. Listen to their answers with compassion and tenderness. Talk to your readers whom you meet in person as well.

Use everyday examples to explain God’s truth. I’ve noticed that some Christian writers, preachers, and bloggers, as they become more popular with a wider audience, tend to lose this ability. Use examples from nature or from family and friend relationships. What everyday life things do you do that your readers do, too? Elisabeth Elliot was the most amazing writer and speaker. One of my favorite programs of hers is when she talked about her typical day including her ironing, cooking supper for her husband, and taking a daily walk to the post office. I do not have an audience of millions, so I cannot relate to her on that level, but I can feel connected to her because we do the same everyday chores.

Let a mature Christian friend or church leader check your writing to be sure it portrays Christ accurately. You may think you are explaining things clearly, but how is it perceived by fresh eyes? You could also take the extra step to be sure your editor is a Christian. While she is editing for content and grammar, she can also watch your theology.

Stay humble. There is a difference between confidence in Christ and what He has called you to do and a desire to boost yourself for the accolades found in this world only. The picture of a servant is what helps me with this goal. Christ came to serve. I am His follower and serving is my goal– serving others and serving Christ. When Christ is lifted higher, then everything else in this world is exactly where it needs to be.

What steps do you take in your writing process to be sure you are both meeting the reader’s needs and accurately portraying Christianity? I’d love to hear your comments!

Rachel Schmoyer is a pastor’s wife who is loving her church life. She writes about the hard parts of Scripture at readthehardparts.com. She has had devotionals published in the past, but now she is looking forward to getting her first Christian Living book published. You can connect with Rachel on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Pinterest.

Categories
Devotional/Christian Living

What’s the Difference between Devotional and Christian Living Book Genres?

In the quiet of the morning, I open up my Bible. I clip my booklight onto the front cover so I can see the pages in the darkness. After a short prayer, my mind is ready to read God’s Word. Some days I simply read, preparing my heart for the day ahead. But other days I read something I never noticed before. My eyes wide open, I grab my notebook, jot down my observation, and jump up from my bed with the burning desire to write about what I’ve discovered. What is the best way to share my new-found treasure?

I could blog about my observations or create an article or a standalone devotional to submit, but sometimes my ideas and observations snowball into a book idea.

I have several big ideas from Scripture that I want to write in book form. For each of these ideas, I need to decide what genre the book will be: devotional or Christian living.

What are the major differences between the devotional and Christian Living book genre?

Length.

Chapters in a devotional book are much shorter than the chapters of a Christian Living book. In fact, in a devotional book, each section or entry is not often called a chapter. Each portion of the book usually corresponds to the day, so the devotional is divided up into days rather than chapters. Victoria Duerstock, author of the devotional Heart & Home: Design Basics for Your Soul and Living Space, says the word count in her devotional book is no more than 300 words per day. That word count includes the Bible verse, the story/application, the prayer, and the design tip. Since this is a 90 day devotional, Victoria’s total word count for her devotional book was about 27,000.

In comparison, the word count of Christian Living books is similar to other Christian non-fiction trade books with a total word count of 45,000-55,000 or more. Michelle Lazurek, author of An Invitation to the Table: Embracing the Gift of Hospitality and Righteous and Lost: Finding Hope for the Pharisee Within shoots for 3,500-4,000 words per chapter in her Christian Living books.

For all of you who are now saying, it’s easier to write a devotional because it is shorter, not so fast! Shorter is not always easier. Devotional writing is tight. It takes a long time to choose the perfect words since there isn’t wiggle room for further explanation.

But the longer word count doesn’t make Christian Living easy either. Readers expect an in-depth exploration of the topic you cover in your book meaning you will be spending time researching and studying. You will use quotes from experts on your topic in order to connect your book with the existing conversation. It takes time and thought to select the quotes and use them naturally in your writing.

Depth of focus.

Even if the devotional book as a whole is focused on a particular topic, each devotional entry in the book centers on a Bible passage, usually just one or two Bible verses. Each devotional is narrowly focused on the Bible truth of that particular verse. In contrast, the chapters of a Christian Living book may start with a verse or Bible passage, or more often, a Bible topic, but the Bible portion is a springboard for exploration.

It’s like going off the diving board into the deep end. One person dives in with a small splash and beelines for the stairs to exit the pool and go on to next thing, refreshed from the dip in the water. Another person cannonballs in, treads around, and floats from one side of the pool to the next before slowly returning to the ladder.

A devotional zeros in. Christian Living broadens and explores.

Do you have experience writing either devotionals or Christian Living books? What else have you noticed as the difference between the two genres? Comment below!

Rachel Schmoyer is a pastor’s wife who is loving her church life. She writes about the hard parts of Scripture at readthehardparts.com. She has had devotionals published in the past, but now she is looking forward to getting her first Christian Living book published. You can connect with Rachel on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Pinterest.